Page 1184 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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MS GALLAGHER: Of all the jurisdictions, the ACT would be hardest hit by the job cuts and the proposed restructuring by the commonwealth, as outlined in the audit report. It is unclear, because they have not endorsed the recommendations, but if you accept approximately 15,000 jobs, we would expect the allocation to the ACT to be in the order of 6,000 in Canberra. That is over and above the job losses that have already been experienced in this city. So that would be close to a three per cent reduction in the ACT’s current employment level and obviously a job loss of that size would have serious flow-on consequences.
I am hoping—and the Prime Minister outlined to first ministers at COAG that the commonwealth would not be proceeding with all the recommendations in the audit report but that the budget would be a tough budget—and I am expecting, of course, that there will not be a whole lot of good news in the federal budget next week. But if these recommendations were adopted—and the sounds of silence from those opposite around the commission of audit is deafening—if that were to hit the city, there would be some very significant consequences.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Gentleman.
MR GENTLEMAN: Chief Minister, how will the recommendation to delay the implementation of the NDIS affect the planned commencement of the scheme in the ACT from 1 July this year?
MADAM SPEAKER: Before I call the Chief Minister, I do not recall in any of Ms Berry’s questions or the answer any mention of the NDIS.
Ms Gallagher: It is a recommendation of the audit report.
MADAM SPEAKER: But there was not any mention in Ms Berry’s question.
Dr Bourke: Madam Speaker—
MADAM SPEAKER: Sit down, Dr Bourke. Did you mention the NDIS, Ms Berry?
Ms Berry: I mentioned schools and disability.
MADAM SPEAKER: Okay. I am sorry; I did not pick that up. Mr Gentleman, could you repeat the question, for the benefit of everyone?
MR GENTLEMAN: Chief Minister, how will the recommendation to delay the implementation of the NDIS affect the planned commencement of the scheme in the ACT from 1 July 2014?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mr Gentleman for the question. One of the good outcomes from last Friday’s COAG meeting was a reconfirmation that all governments remain committed to the full scheme rollout of the NDIS, along the timetables that have been agreed to by individual jurisdictions. I note that there is a level of caution picked up in the Commission of Audit’s report about the overall cost of the full implementation of the NDIS, but first ministers were provided with
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